Managing Generation X

Bruce Tulgan's guide is written for the managers who have to work with Generation X. Its central argument is that the generation was misread as lazy and uncommitted. Tulgan describes its members as adaptable, comfortable with technology, quick with information, and inclined to start their own ventures, a mix that suits the just-in-time economy.

The book traces how the free-agent attitude has spread through the whole workforce. Because many GenXers will leave any job that stops working for them, employers have struggled to keep staff, and Tulgan explains where that pressure comes from. He also argues that this same willingness to move on has made the generation unusually entrepreneurial.

Most pages carry verbatim interviews in which GenXers describe their own experiences at work. Alongside these accounts, the book offers practical guidance on what to do with this labor pool and what to avoid, aimed at anyone trying to get the best from younger employees.